Prime Minister Narendra Modi commenced his third consecutive term at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday, alongside 71 ministers. Among them, 7 women were included in the Union council of ministers, a decrease from the previous 10. Notable absentees from the new council include Smriti Irani, Dr. Bharti Pawar, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Darshana Jardosh, Meenakshi Lekhi, and Pratima Bhoumik.
Annapurna Devi: a BJP leader from Jharkhand, was sworn in as a Union Cabinet Minister, showcasing BJP’s focus on upcoming state elections. She previously associated with the RJD and gained prominence within the BJP following her husband’s demise.
Nirmala Sitharaman: a Rajya Sabha member, retained her position in the Union Cabinet, continuing her tenure as the Finance Minister. Savitri Thakur, a tribal leader from Madhya Pradesh, and Nimuben Bambhaniya, a winner from Gujarat, were also appointed as Ministers of State.
Anupriya Patel: representing the Apna Dal and returning to the Union council of ministers, represents the Other Backward Class (OBC) Kurmi community and hails from Uttar Pradesh.
Savitri Thakur: Sworn in as a Minister of State, Savitri Thakur is a prominent tribal leader from Madhya Pradesh. She secured victory from the Dhar seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections after being denied a ticket in the 2019 edition.
Nimuben Bambhaniya: Inducted as a Minister of State, Nimuben Bambhaniya is one of three women to win from Gujarat on a BJP ticket. She won from the Bhavnagar constituency by defeating the Aam Aadmi Party’s Umesh Makwana with a significant margin.
Raksha Khadse: Also appointed as a Minister of State, Raksha Khadse is a three-term MP from Maharashtra. She won the Lok Sabha elections from the Raver constituency in both 2014 and 2024 by substantial margins.
Shobha Karandlaje: Shobha Karandlaje, a three-time Lok Sabha member, was sworn in as a Minister of State. Known for her vocal stance against religious extremism, she won from the Bangalore North Lok Sabha segment, becoming Bengaluru’s first-ever woman MP.
